‘So proud to be able to show them this’

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Driving around with your family among the wild animals: quite exciting, but also a huge kick, says Miranda (39) who went to South Africa with husband Arjan (44), daughter Maud (8) and son Kas (4.5).

“We went to South Africa together about nine years ago. The country made a huge impression on me because it is so diverse in terms of landscape and the people are super nice. So we thought: we should do this again. We are now four of us, but it still seemed like a good plan.

Of course we couldn’t do a wine tour on a mountain bike, but going on safari with the kids seemed like a lot of fun. Because seeing wild animals in their own environment is so special. In that enormous tranquility of such a national park, with little or no people and only nature.

“Seeing wild animals in their own environment is so special, with little or no people and only nature”

We decided to prep the kids with ranger and wildlife videos. We also explained that there is no supermarket in a nature park; animals must therefore eat other animals. Luckily they didn’t mind. I saw that Maud could imagine something about our trip, for Kas it was all a bit unreal. When we left Johannesburg in the rental car after our flight, he immediately asked on the highway: ‘Where are those lions then?’

Early birds

Our holiday home was located in Zandspruit Estate, a nature reserve with several holiday homes. It was a villa with a swimming pool, a wonderful place that we used as a base for our trips. With half an hour’s drive we were already at two entrances to the Kruger Park: Orpen Gate and Phalaborwa Gate. They opened at six o’clock in the morning, and then we were already there: the animals are often most active then.

“I felt the tension in my body; what are we going to see today?”

That moment before the gate, then I already had the tension in my body. What are we going to see today? We drove in with our own rental car. All four of us were focused and we stopped a hundred times. Is something moving there? Stop again, peer and wait until we saw something. And then suddenly an elephant appears. Or even an entire herd ten meters away from you. Once we had to step aside for them. Then you notice: we are visiting, and this is really their environment. That feels so special.

“We had to step aside for the elephants; after all, we are visiting”

Variety

During such a day in the Kruger Park we always provided enough variety for the children. After all, you spend a lot of time in the car. At the park itself there are camps where you can have lunch, refuel and camp. There we took long breaks to eat or get an ice cream so the kids could play for a while.

Still, they always enjoyed driving. There’s plenty to see; of animals, but also the landscape is so varied. Then it was flat, then bushy or just a water surface. Often we took side roads or nice forest paths that also made it more exciting. And if they got tired of it, they could always color in the car, on the tablet or play with toys.

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Panorama route

The location of our holiday home was ideal, because from there we could also cover parts of the Panorama Route, which led past all kinds of highlights and beautiful natural spots. We drove past canyons, waterfalls, viewpoints.

God’s Window was such a highlight, where you had a beautiful view of the mountain peaks and a valley, and where you had to go through a rainforest. Perfect for the children, who had seen the view quite quickly and preferred to splash over the rocks and through a water.

“We enjoyed a beautiful view and also had a lovely bath”

One of the most beautiful places I found was Bourke’s Luck Potholes, where two rivers meet and you can see cylindrical pools, formed by erosion. We also enjoyed a beautiful view there, but we also had a lovely bath.

Wild animals

We almost always went out with our own rental car, twice we made a trip with a ranger. We did that in an open safari car. We left once at five in the morning, exciting, still in the dark. The second time we went for an evening game drive, which started at 4pm.

Our guide had heard through the walkie-talkie that a group of lionesses had been spotted. And indeed: after a short drive they were there, ten meters away from us, six of them. In the background we heard hyenas screaming and a lion making noises; there had been a fight. And even though the car was open, I felt safe. After all, our ranger knew what he was doing, he knows the animals. Yet I also felt an unwise tension; they are wild animals.

“We heard hyenas screaming and a lion making noises”

Just when the ranger was about to move on to the next spot, all the lionesses settled down around our car. They were very relaxed, apparently they were not bothered by us. The children were silent, completely impressed. It was one of the most amazing experiences there. I felt so proud to be able to show this to my kids.

Compared to our previous holiday in South Africa, I now experienced a different kind of tension, because I also wanted to protect my children. But there was also another kind of happiness. Because the four of us were allowed to experience this.”

To do

In the canyon

Along the Panorama Route you will find several highlights of South Africa. The Graskop Gorge Lift was impressive: with a ‘viewing lift’ you go down along the gorge, where you can follow walking routes over bridges in the jungle. You can also zipline and jump into the water from a great height.

Game on

We booked our game drives through Homes of Africa. Josh Beaton was our ranger, a fun and laid back guy.

homesofafrica.com

Dear Hippo

We also took a look at Jessica The Hippo, a hippo that once washed up on people’s porch during a flood. Since then, Jessica lives voluntarily in a river that flows through Hoedspruit.

jessicahippo.com

To sleep

Beastly lot

Our luxury villa with swimming pool was located in a game reserve of a thousand hectares: the giraffes, wildebeest, warthogs and zebras walked in our backyard. A really lovely place and ideal as a base for the Panorama Route and the Kruger Park.

homesofafrica.com

Big mouth

From our house it was a bit more difficult to reach the southernmost point of the Kruger Park. That’s why we moved to Hazyview for two days. Not a very special place, but it was on a river with crocodiles.

thereservegroup.co.za

To eat

pancake

Harrie’s Pancakes in Dullstroom is a very nice location. The village was also worth it.

harriespancakes.co.za

Eat & play

At The Hat & Creek in Hoedspruit you can enjoy good food and there is a super nice playground for children, right on the terrace.

Relaxed

There is a relaxed atmosphere in Maroela Bar in Hoedspruit. Here too there is a playground on the terrace and you can eat delicious pizzas.

facebook.com/Maroelabar/

Also vegan

Also in Hoedspruit: The Farm House, a quietly located restaurant with a wide choice of vegan and gluten-free options. And there is also a small delicatessen shop.

This article appears in Kek Mama 11-2022.

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